Identification of the causative agent of canine babesiosis in the North of Kazakhstan.

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Canine babesiosis is a common disease in the northern part of the Republic of Kazakhstan, in particular in the Kostanay region. In recent years, a large number of cases of the disease with a variety of clinical symptoms have been registered. AIM: The purpose of the study was to monitor the spread, characterization, and identify thespecies involved ofspecies in ticks and blood of dogs in the Kostanai region. METHODS: The research work began in 2017 with the study of the spread of babesiosis in dogs in the Kostanay region according to the reports of veterinary clinics. The collection of ticks from the territory and from dogs was carried out in 2017-2021. RESULTS: As a result of the research work, the presence in the city and some areas of the Kostanay region of two species of ixodidand, was established. Of these, one species was identified in dogs, which serves as a carrier of canine babesiosis-. In all 31 DNA samples from the blood of dogs diagnosed with babesiosis, a fragment of thegene was amplified. The nucleotide sequence was obtained for 30 samples (96.8%), in one sample a low luminescence intensity of a specific PCR product was observed. Twohaplotypes were distinguished on the basis of two nucleotide substitutions (GA→AG) observed in the sequences of thegene. CONCLUSIONS: In conclusion, the results of this study provide insight into the distribution ofhaplotypes in dogs in the Kostanay region, and canine babesiosis is caused solely by the largespecies.